title: Clinic exam room design: present and future.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article aims to deconstruct various design qualities and strategies of clinic exam rooms, and discuss how they influence users' interaction and behavior in the space. Relevant literature supports the advantages and disadvantages of different design strategies. Annotated exam room prototypes illustrate the design qualities and strategies discussed.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Advancements in technology and medicine, along with new legislative policies, are influencing the way care providers deliver care and ultimately clinic exam room designs. The patient-centered medical home model has encouraged primary care providers to make patients more active leaders of their health plan which will influence the overall functionality and configuration of clinic exam rooms. Specific design qualities discussed include overall size, location of doors and privacy curtains, positioning of exam tables, influence of technology in the consultation area, types of seating, and placement of sink and hand sanitizing dispensers. In addition, future trends of exam room prototypes are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a general lack of published evidence to support design professionals' design solutions for outpatient exam rooms. Future research should investigate such topics as the location of exam tables and privacy curtains as they relate to patient privacy; typical size and location of consultation table as it relates to patient connection and communication; and placement of sinks and sanitization dispensers as they relate to frequency and patterns of usage.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Literature review, outpatient, technology, visual privacy.
authors.affiliation: CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Kara Freihoefer, PhD, EDAC, Research Specialist; kfreihoefer@hga.com; (414) 278-3448.
authors.forename: Kara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Freihoefer
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vickery
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D018907:Privacy